Preview

Macbeth's Statement Of Evil

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
968 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Macbeth's Statement Of Evil
Discuss "Macbeth is a statement of evil" (L.C Knights) Do you consider this a fair summary of the play?

The character Macbeth is portrayed by Shakespeare as the larger view of evil's operation in the world. Shakespeare accomplishes this by using a powerful and unsuspecting character such as Macbeth. The audience sees how evil, tempts Macbeth. Furthermore the use of messages addressing to or addressed by, how evil Macbeth is. The Evil inside Macbeth is quite evident; for he commits several murders. Finally, there are certain analogies, which suggest that Macbeth is comparable to Satan.

Shakespeare intended on using a hero of good deeds such as Macbeth, as his figure. He is seen as a good advocate of Satan's evil conduct: for an evil person is one you least expect. Macbeth starts off as a humble man and a saviour of his native soil. After returning from a heroic victory, Ross, a noble Thane, describes what a significant officer Macbeth is for his kingdom:
…show more content…
Silenced with that, In viewing o'er the rest o'th' selfsame day, He finds thee in the stout Norweyan ranks, Nothing afeard of what thyself didst make, Strange images of death. As thick as hail Came post with post, and every one did bear Thy praises in his kingdom's great defence, And poured then down before

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Macbeth's Ruthless Quotes

    • 717 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Macbeth is King Duncan’s cousin, a courageous warrior and a loyal nobleman. He comes back from the battle against the Norweyans with his new title, Thane of Cawdor, since he defeats the former Thane of Cawdor, the traitor. He then meets with the three weird sisters and the sisters tell him about his “bright” and “successful” future, the sisters tells him that he will become king and Banquo’s descendants will become king. This awakens Macbeth’s inner ambition and leads to Macbeth’s downfall. Macbeth becomes more and more ruthless and selfish after each crime he commits, and in the meanwhile, he falls deeper and deeper and eventually hits the ground and could never come back up again.…

    • 717 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Macbeth Evil Quotes

    • 339 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Macbeth Does killing someone solve your problem?In Macbeth by William Shakespeare the theme is that evil can cause a person to do awful things this is shown through the actions Macbeth takes and the situations macbeth is put in. Things that are ugly will become pretty and things that are pretty will become ugly “Fair is foul, foul is fair.” A bad person telling someone that if they do something bad it is good and doing something good is bad is what i got out this quote is basically a quote i took that witches had said in the beginning of the book so i take it as bad thing.…

    • 339 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    In Shakespeare’s, Macbeth, the character lady Macbeth appears as an innocent woman, when in reality she is corrupt and evil, revealing that things are not always how they seem. As Lady Macbeth says “That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here, and fill me, from the crown to the toe, top-full of direst cruelty!” This shows how she is starting to fall apart. By Lady Macbeth wanting to completely change her sex also shows how she doesn’t feel complete being who she is and she feels the need to be more masculine. Lady Macbeth slowly shows how she is becoming more evil through the quote “My hands are of your colour, but I shame to wear a heart so white.” This represents how Lady Macbeth was able to get her hands bloody despite the evil murdering…

    • 157 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Macbeth, friend, don’t be lured by the siren’s call. Be neither quick nor slow to believe their words of forbidden fruit. Don’t be tricked by them so easily. Be the man you know you are, and don’t be manipulated by these witches of misery. Surely, that is all to follow if you do. Misery. Misery and the revocation of you ever being a man.…

    • 228 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The statement 'Macbeth was basically a good man led into evil ways' is one I agree with, to a certain extent. His evilness certainly progressed throughout the play, but his influences from the witches and Lady Macbeth and degree of goodness at the start is debatable. I shall also discuss the reasons for his destruction, which ties in the plays themes - for example ambition, order and disorder and guilt and conscience.…

    • 1653 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In the passage from page 244, A.C. Bradley argues that to the contrary belief that Macbeth means nothing but evil, the often misunderstood character is actually mainly composed of moral and honorable virtues. Although his actions throughout the play suggests that corruption composes most of his character, his wicked wrong-doings are mainly caused by other components that Macbeth lacks control over. This position regarding the play has validity because the only root of evil that Macbeth undergoes is purely from his fear and confusion of the situation.…

    • 284 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Macbeth is greedy, he kills people for his own benefit regardless of the consequences. All tragic heroes are looked up to because of their courage and nobility, however he is not courageous nor noble.When Lady Macbeth dies and he gets the news, he does not react how a loving husband would react to the death of their beloved wife.…

    • 477 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Shakespeare's Macbeth, considered as one as of his most brilliant plays, is a definite pleasure to read, particularly for fans of the "medieval-setting" and Old English literature. His style is unique and creative, which, all in all, makes for a very appealing storyline. Regardless of such optimistic facets, Shakespeare's signature mark within most of his plays is his combination of various assorted themes merged together within one captivating scenario. In this case, Macbeth is an ideal paradigm representing this talent. Unlike most his past plays, this particular storyline consists especially of gloomy and sinister themes: infidelity, treachery, lust for power, and ironical situations used to emphasize scenes of tragedy form most of Macbeth's foundation.…

    • 789 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Macbeth Quote Analysis

    • 965 Words
    • 4 Pages

    In the play “Macbeth” written by William Shakespeare, the main character Macbeth faced misplaced ambition. Shakespeare's character Macbeth was a daring and trustworthy soldier. King Duncan was extremely fond of Macbeth, who admired his bravery and considered Macbeth an extraordinary general. The prediction, that was predetermined by witches, that one day Macbeth would be king. Afterwards, he mistakenly intrusted this to Lady Macbeth regarding his destiny. This turned into an obsession, which drove her to become power hungry. This mistake leads to the assignation of his cousin and close friend King Duncan. Macbeth’s decision to assassinate the king drives him insane and eventually leads to his untimely demise. William Shakespeare uses irony…

    • 965 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Shakespeare's Macbeth is a splendid tale of tragedy sprung from greed and ambitions. Unlike Shakespeare's other tragedies of Othello and King Lear, where Iago and Edmund were true villains, Macbeth was depicted as a man who possessed goodness; however, misguided by his lust for power and wealth. Macbeth's ambition was his ultimate flaw, compelling him to succumb to the worst of his nature, and eventually led him to his downfall and inevitable death.…

    • 866 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Macbewth

    • 992 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Shakespeare created the play of Macbeth giving readers the idea of greed and power. Macbeth was the character that has the attributes in the play that had the urge to obtain power and to hold onto it. However, in the process of Macbeth trying to become king and hold much power, he shows signs of different characteristics. Macbeth was never hundred percent of all the action he has committed throughout the play. Macbeth in the play gives reader a sense of uncertainty of himself and his actions.…

    • 992 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Is Macbeth Good Or Evil

    • 788 Words
    • 4 Pages

    People that are very nice can turn bad because of their ambition or because someone forces them to do bad things. It is impossible for people to be not selfish, greedy, and wicked because everyone is selfish, greedy, and wicked. In William Shakespeare’s play Macbeth, he shows how dangerous people can become evil because Macbeth’s desire to be King. He is the reason of how perfect this person’s life is until he became the opposite of him. Over the course of the play, power causes Macbeth to change from loyal to cruel which leads to his ambition getting out of hand.At the beginning of the play, Macbeth is a good and a loyal person to everyone. When Angus and Ross appear to tell him that he is going to be the Thane of Cawdor, he states, “The thane of Cawdor lives. Why do you dress me In borrowed robes?” (Shakespeare I.iii.109-110). By asking about the previous Thane of Cawdor, Macbeth reveals that he is concerned about the previous Thane of Cawdor. This is important because he is worried about other people which made him a kind person. Another…

    • 788 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Macbeth Evil Vs Evil

    • 382 Words
    • 2 Pages

    To have ambition and the will to achieve greatness is considered a noble character, however, when the influence of evil is exposed to this noble characteristic, it will become corrupted and unnatural. Unnatural ambition drives Macbeth to commit treacherous acts which leads to his decent into evil and ultimately, his own downfall. Macbeth is startled when he first hears his prophecy from the evil witches. He is astonished when he receives news from Ross and Angus regarding receiving the title of Thane of Cawdor. Macbeth’s immediate reaction to this news is the thought of becoming the King of Scotland. This demonstrates Macbeth’s ambitious character. However, Macbeth almost instantly visualizes a plot to commit regicide and forcibly take the…

    • 382 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Within every person’s consciousness there is a will to do good or bad. In Shakespeare’s play Macbeth, the temptation of evil is tricked into being seen as something worth fighting for. It is with their thirst for power that tricks their minds into doing evil things to achieve and maintain the throne. Firstly arrogance blinds the Macbeth’s into needing this royal title. Then, the use of violence was to ensure their goals were achieved. Finally the use of deceit tricks them into claiming what they should have not, causing not only Scotland’s downfall, but their own as well. So, even those with the strongest mentality can be broken.…

    • 108 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Shakespeare’s masterpiece of a play, ‘Macbeth’, carefully depicts that Macbeth’s character was not ruined by fate but rather by damaging errors in his personality. Macbeth’s dangerous quality of ambition brings about his downfall as well as his treachery against his king, his tyranny and also his imaginativeness that eventually lures him into the murder. Although Shakespeare suggests that Macbeth’s decisions were greatly influenced by other characters in his text, it was Macbeth that ultimately decided to listen to these influences due to the many faults in his character.…

    • 88 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays

Related Topics